MA Lighting Design
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
MA
DURATION
1 year
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time, Part time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
EARLIEST START DATE
Sep 2027
TUITION FEES
GBP 20,540 *
STUDY FORMAT
On-Campus
* for overseas and EU | £9,615 for Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland
This programme focuses on creative applications of light, enabling you to explore optical fibres, LEDs, and projection-based techniques alongside traditional architectural and daylighting approaches. You will develop the ability to analyse, design, prototype, and document lighting solutions, integrating both technical understanding and imaginative experimentation. Working in a shared studio space with other creative design courses there is room for cross disciplinary exploration and learning.
This degree allows you to explore lighting in a range of interior and exterior contexts, from heritage and cultural spaces to immersive installations and experimental art projects.
Modules benefit by having input from industry specialists, guest lecturers, and site visits, providing exposure to professional practice and live project opportunities. You will be taught by staff who are actively involved in the fields they teach.
In a collaborative and interdisciplinary design studio, you will develop the criticality necessary to create lighting that inspires and excites people.
You will have the space and freedom to develop fully working experiences and prototypes that explore lighting with interaction, experience and placemaking. You will have the opportunity to show your work to and gain feedback from professionals working in industry.
By the end of the course, you will have developed the skills, knowledge, and professional awareness to innovate and lead in the creative lighting and design sector, producing a final project that showcases both your creative vision and technical expertise, supported by interdisciplinary collaboration.
Modules
Modules that you will study* as part of this course
- Creative Lighting for People and Places (DES11138)
- Creative Research Portfolio Part 1 (DES11155)
- Creative Research Portfolio Part 2 (DES11156)
- Design for Heritage and Culture (DES11137)
- Light Art & Projection (DES11122)
- Live Projects (DES11136)
- Research and Entrepreneurship Projects (DES11144)
- Research as Critical Practice (DES11143)
* These are indicative only and reflect the course structure in the current academic year. Some changes may occur between now and the time that you study.
Edinburgh Napier University is offering a limited number of competitive tuition scholarships for USA-based students joining full-time taught arts graduate programs in September 2027.
With the Edinburgh Arts Excellence Scholarship, you could get up to 100% of your fees funded for starting your creative career in Scotland. Scholarship awards range from partial fee reductions to full tuition coverage, depending on the strength of your application.
Explore the full scholarship details and requirements on our website to understand if this award is for you.
Graduates from this programme pathway can pursue careers in:
- interior and spatial design
- lighting design
- urban design
- exhibition and museum design
- installation art
Learn from lecturers who are sector leaders. Delivering practical, industry-focused teaching. Many of our programmes also carry professional accreditation from recognised global bodies, helping you gain skills that employers value. With these benefits, it’s no surprise we’re a Top 5 UK Modern University for Graduate Prospects (The Times Good University Guide 2026).
Our flexible study options help you develop specialist knowledge, professional competencies, and gain practical skills that support your personal and career progression, giving 98% of our students strong graduate outcomes (HESA 2021/22).
Your future is also supported at Edinburgh Napier University by a dedicated careers and employability service, including enterprise opportunities via our Bright Red Triangle business incubator. We'll also be with you after graduation, providing an additional two years of service for alumni.
How you’ll be taught
The course uses practice-based learning, workshops, seminars, lectures, guest speakers and supported online learning in which core knowledge and understanding are acquired and assessed in tandem with their specific application to your own individual projects.
Assessments
The Live Projects module in Trimester 2 affords you the opportunity to arrange your own placement, we also work with external partners to offer specific placements. The majority of our projects are in partnership with external organisations.
Work placement
The course offers two modules (Live Project in trimester 1, Research Projects and Entrepreneurship in trimesters 2) where you have the option of working with external partners, which may include some work-based learning.